Objective: To compare the Doppler indices
of umbilical and fetal middle cerebral arteries with
nonstress test (NST) and evaluate possible differences
between male and female fetuses term pregnants.
Methods: This prospective study included the pregnant
women with 37-41 weeks gestation which had no maternal
and fetal complication or pathology during the pregnancy
and had singleton fetus. We calculated resistive index,
pulsatility index and systolic/diastolic ratio values of
umblical and middle cerebral arteries in all pregnants. In
NST examination, accelerations and decelerations of fetal
heart rate, number of fetal movements were recorded
during 20 minutes in each supine and left lateral decubitus
position. All data were compared between male and
female fetuses.
Results: Fifty-two normal pregnants with an age range of
20-42 years had 27 male (52%) and 25 female (48%)
fetuses. There was no statistically significant difference in
Doppler indices, NST values, and also obstetrics findings
between male and female fetuses (p>0.05). Although
statistically insignificant, we found that pulsatility indices
of middle cerebral artery were higher in females than
males (p=0.06). Although there were a strong positive
correlation between Doppler indices of umbilical and
middle cerebral arteries in males, it was not detected in
females. On the other hand, while there was a correlation
between NST values and Doppler indices in females, it
was not found in males.
Conclusions: Although there was no significant difference
between male and female fetuses for both Doppler indices
and nonstress test values, there were different correlations
for these parameters in both genders.